IN HER OWN RIGHT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3030, 10 April 1912, Page 70

IN HER OWN RIGHT.

By LADY TROUBRIDGE. Author of "The Soul of Honour," "The Cheat," "Love the Locksmith," "The Girl With the Blue Eyes," Etc., Etc.

THE NOVELIST

[Published by Special Arrangement.]

SYNOPSIS OF PREYIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTER I.—Tli© Rollesden brougham conveys Lord Kollesden and his daughter, Lady Ivy, to the Palace, where she is to be presented to the King. On the way her father chides her for her views of life, and finally tells her to do as she pleases, but he will not be responsible for her. While she is waiting to be presented Lord Strevelsea turns up, and Lord Rollesden introduces him to Lady Ivy. Lord Strevelsea's interest and admiration are at once aroused. He oannot understand why she wishes to earn her own living. After the presentation, when they are driving home, Lord Rollesden tells Ivy that he is about to join her brothers at Marseilles. He has a seizure, and Lady Ivy makes one more appeal for affection, but, failing, she goes away. Keith Garrett, tier father's secretary, meets her, and, after mentioning that her father has told him she intends to go away, he begins to make love ardently. She tells him that, in consequence of what she is going to do, her father will leave her penniless. He allows her to escape. CHAPTER ll.—Lord Rollesden goes away in his motor car, and Lady Ivy is left alone to think. Yiva G-aythorpe, an actress, calls to see her. Ivy tells her of her solitude, and the emptiness of her life. They discuss matters. Tho secretary breaks in on their conversation, and tells Ivy that her father is leturning. After ho has left the room Viva questions Ivy concerning him. It is arranged that Ivy is to join Viva Gaythorpe to-morrow. The next day Lord Rollesden returns about i o'clock, and inquires for his daughter. He learns that she has gono, leaving no address. CHAPTERS 111 and IV.—Lord Rollesden sends his secretary to scok for Lady Ivy. He enters her sitting-room and finds a penned scrawl from her on the table. He tears off the postscript, and presents the upper portion to Lord Rollesden, who reads it with contempt. He takes Garrett to witness that he has done with the girl for ever. Garrett offers to try and trace her, but Lord Rollesden refuses. He goes to his wife's room. Lady Rollesden is an invalid; she is not strong enough to think of disagreeable things. She is willing for Ivy to gang her own gait, and to receive her again when the girl is tired. Lord Rollesden, however, is not willing. Ivy reaches Melford Mansions, where Viva resides. Sophy, her mother's maid, had refused to allow her an interview with her mother. The actress greets hsr cordially, but during the progress of the conversation Ivy does not feel so comfortable. Viva lets her understand the situation thoroughly. She tells her that there is one man whom she wishes to win. and she wants Ivy to be with her as companion to that end' His name is Lord Strevelsea.

CHAPTER V—lvy dresses for dinner. Viva is entertaining to-night. While waiting, Ivy rings up her home, and the butler informs her that things are as usual. Viva, asks Ivy to go and talk to her guests until she is ready. She enters a crowded room, and Lord Strevelsea, comes forward. He takes charge of Lady Ivy until Viva forces him to relinquish her at the supper table. A Mr Wynne, stage manager, comes in late, and sits next to Lady Ivy. Viva introduces her to him. Ho asks questions about her qualifications. Lord Strevelsea champions Lady Ivy against Wynne, but Ivy savs she prefers to make her own way. Whilst the ethers are playing bridge Lord Strevelsea seeks the opportunity to ask Lady Ivy when she will marry him.

[Copyright.]

CHAPTER VI

was caught in a trap. It was impossible to jump up and leave him without bringing all eyes upon her; and, besides, the low pleading voice held her with a force greater than iron chains. And then in a moment ,sho knew that the Fates had

woven a woeful chain round her. and that she was not strong enough to undo the tangle. Her breath came quickly; he saw her breast rise and fall, saw her eyes meet his for a moment, and felt that if he had been alone with her he could have taken advantage of the secret revealed by those Hushed cheeks, •vet eyes, and quivering mouth. Yet surrounded as they were he Could do nothing. If he could have taken her in his arms and felt her heart beating hard against his own ho could have won her there and then ; but as it was he felt that too much had been said —not half what he meant

j to say, but too much for that crowded place. He was torturing her, and her face was now white and drawn, while she leaned back, her silence only stirred by a panting breath. "I'm sorry," lie said in her ear. ,T Don't give way; don't be ill. I will say no more. Think it over, and let me know to-morrow. A line to the Turf Club will find me, and i will make a way of seeing you alone." She nodded faintly, and he bent towards her again. ''l am so sorry, dear, I will go and play bridge in a mVxment, find that will draw their attention away from you ; only I could net stand it —to hear the loveliest, rarest creature in London belittle herself as yon are doing. If you coiiid only see yourself as I see y'ou — a young queen with the heart of a child—you would understand what a desecration it is to me." Her lips moved, but no sound came from them, and with one more took lie got up and moved to the bridge table. "Lady Ivy finds me so dull that she insist.-, on going to bed, and says she's a headache; so if you like I'll cut in now." Viva nodded but her eyes were fixed on Ivy, who, understanding tile mandate in liis words, rose and made her adieus as well as she could ; then pas-sed away to the shcslter of her bedroom. It seemed a ."belter indeed, and she cowered over the wood fire, trying to ] understand what had happened to her. The room was strangely still, the fire leaped and crackled, and in that quiet refuge she allowed herself the blessed relief of tea-is, as she slipped out of her dress, Hung on a White silk wrapper, and unplaited her hair, trying to check her sobs as she did mi. Dimly she felt that a great avenue of escape from the complications of her life had suddenly opened before her, if she had the courage to take it. Yet in the depths of her young heart there seemed a insistent voice forbidding her to clutch wildly at this great unknown thing that had come into her life. Women had been married before now out of pity, and Ivy j felt a trembling certainty that pity had been the great factor in Strevelsea's mind i as he had whispered those tender words to I her to-night—-pity and the dazzling power j of her own beauty. Yet even so, common sense whispered, why not bo taken on those terms from all the perplexity and the Inisery of the lite she had made for herself As Strevelsea's wife everything would be easy for her: j a reconciliation with her parents would follow as a matter of course, and as for Viva, she would learn to accept the inevitable. So the girl pondered, crouching by tho fire, while her hair waved bright as live gold in the dancing light about her lovely face, and as she gazed the very love she felt growing up in her heart forbade, her to take advantage of the pitying hand held out to her. He was so good and true, his nature was .so noble, hi.s heart so big, | that, seeing her extremity, he had offered her in a moment of impulse the shelter of his name. She, too, would be great, and refuse it. Other girls might choose the safe and easy path; she, Ivy, would not. Yet, as she leaned towards the fire her fancy played with a day that might come in the future — a golden day, when, these troubles somehow swept away, the great wind of destiny might fling her on his heart, and as she dreamed a little smile flickered round her mouth. The thoughts of a very young girl are i indefinite, elusive, and rather mysterious. I Common sense has nothing to say to them j at all. although when she loves there is in ! her thoughts, perhaps, a wisdom not of | this world. It is then that, one voice may I fitly whisper counsel, one hand may point i out the safe and the only way—the voice I and the hand of the mother who bore her, | and if she, the mother, neglect her duties, i the girl at such moment is doubly or- : phaned. Ivy had not noticed the sounds in tho j house dying away, nor had she even i turned at the opening of her own door, ! and it was not until she felt Viva's hand j on her shoulder, forcing her attention, ! that she turned and met the other girl's ■ eyes. Viva looked wonderful to-night. A hectic colour burnt in her cheeks, and, save I where it coloured them, her skin was as I white as the milk-white pearls clasping her ' neck, while the vivid green of her dress, ; and the sparkle of the jewels on it, made a wonderful contrast. | Viva loved strange, barbaris gems, i strange tortured semblances of insects and j animals ; long diamond lizards, with green ' eyes, glittering fireflies with ruby wings. Ileal as they were, they might have looked ; tawdry ana vulgar on some women, but ; they suited her artificial loveliness. Yet beautiful as she was, she could not hold a ' candle to the girl who faced her, and ! who seemed a very nymph as she gazed j at her with large hunted eyes, one hand I pushing back the golden veil that fell j half over her face, and prevented her from watching the woman who was looking at her so strangely. '•' I'm glad you're not asleep yet," began I Viva ; and as she spoke there were signs ! that she was trying to control herself, j trying to keep down the rage that, like I the hot fumes of wine, mounted to her i brain, tryiiiT, perhaps, to remember that \ the girl in front of her was her guest. | and in a sense her dependent. | Yet the life she had lived, full of admiration, cheap triumph, and shallow things, hardly made for self-control, or i was likely to" teach her the right words to say. " 1 want to speak to you," she went lon, "and to ask you what you mean by I your conduct this evening." "My conduct; said Ivy, slowly. "What do you mean?" " You 'know perfectly well what I mean. You've not acted fairly by me. Y r ou may be better born than I am, but I tell you to your face that there is not a girl in the chorus at the Splendide who would have had the meanness to behave as you have done!" "What have I done?" asked Ivy again.

"You know perfectly well; but sinco you choose to assume ignorance, I will tell you. When you came to this house this afternoon, I made you a great confidence — one that I should not have made to an ordinary person; but, seeing who you wereand what I had done for you, ot, rather, what I was prepared to do; seeing, too, that you were grateful, and that we were friends, I thought I would give myself the relief of telling you the secret of my heart. And I told you in so many words that I cared for Lord Strevelsea; and although I was not yet sure of his feeling for me, yet that the great hope of my life was to win him for my husband, to make him care for me. I daresay that girls in your society don't speak of their love before they are wooed; but I am not only a woman of the world, the greater world, but I am a woman with a woman's heart and a woman's feeling; yes, and a woman's jealousy, too! I'm not ashamed of it; why should I be?' "Viva!" cried Ivy, imploringly. "Oh, don't say these things ! They are so terrible to listen to, and it hurts me so." " Hurts you?" said Viva- contemptuously. "What do you think I have gone through this evening?" She stopped, halfchoked, then resumed more coldly. " I told you his name; I kept nothing back. And if you had felt that this man was something to you, too, you should have told me so there and then!" " Oh, Viva, I couldn't! No one could do such a thing." " Yes. they could," replied the ether, inexorably—" or, at all events, if that were impossible to you, then you could have had the common justice to have given me my chance." " You've had your chance," said Ivy. " You've seen him day after day, and I have only once seen him before." " Doesn't that very fact show yon," Viva, flashed out, " what you have done? You let him make love to you the whole evening': you chained his attention from the very first moment he came into the room, and sat whispering with him on the ottoman under my very eyes." " Surely I had the right " "Yes, if you had not understood. But you did, because I told you. Then at the supper table you insisted on his sitting by you." "I didn't! I asked him to go!" sobbed Ivy, unconsciously adding to Viva's anger by the words. "You asked him to go, indeed!" cried the other, " and you think I care to be told that to my face?" " He went over to you at once," said Ivy, piteously. "Yes, he- came over; but the whole evening your eyes were meeting, and when we got back into the drawing room you sat again by his side, and allowed him to make love to you." "I could not prevent it, Viva. But, indeed —-incked, 1 think it Avas only because lie was sorry for me—because he wished to help me." " Why should he be sorry for you, pray?" asked Viva, her face working. Every word that Ivy spoke seemed like a stab in her heart. She had come into the room to upbraid the girl for a flirtation, and she had found herself face to face with a reality that threatened her happiness at its very foundations. " Tell me this instant," she demanded, " what he said to you?" " If you overheard, you know," murmured Ivy. " I overheard a word here and there; I do not know, and it is only fair to tell me." The appeal to her sense of justice conquered Ivy, and, covering her face with her hands, she sobbed out broken words of explanation and excuse. " Yes. he did —did ask me—to marry him. You may think it was my doing, but it was not. I was surprised : I did not know what to say —but I have promised to write." Viva had been holding her with a grip so tight and cruel that it almost bruised her shoulders, but at the last words she let her go, and, turning, threw herself in the long chair sobbing. Ivy was distressed beyond words, terrified at the effect of what she had done, and seeing her innocent actions in the light of the other woman's judgment, blamed herself immeasurably. "Don't cry—don't cry, she said, sobbing herself, and falling on her knees by Viva. " Indeed, indeed, I think it was only nonsese; he cannot really care for me so soon." "If he doesn't now he will grow to do it," said Viva. " You've broken my heart, that's what you've done," and, seeing, through her shielding hands, the terror and despair on Ivy's face, a gleam of hope came to her that if she worked long enough on this aruent, impressionable nature she might win. Her sobs redoubled; Ivy flew for her scent bottle, and, placing it in the limp hand, soothed her with every word she could think of. Before, she knew what she was doing, she had made promises that should neveT have passed her lips, had given assurances she had no right to rrjve.° All would come right, she murmured, only Viva must be patient, must forgive her, must trust her. She herselr would go away out of her friend's life as soon as she could possibly support herself, and that might be almost immediately if she succeeded at the theatre. Little did she realise what she was doing and saying, or how in the game between them, the experienced woman had won from the start. All she saw was a soul ; n pain, a heart that she apparently had broken, and every generous instinct in her nature rose up to comfort and atone. " He shall never see or hear of me she whispered. " I will go right away, and he will forget his fancy, and everything will be as if I liad never coma here* at all." Viva's sobs ceased, but she still looked piteous and despairing, and her soft, red mouth quivered like a child's. How waa Ivy to know that, given a little real feeling, the practised actress could control

each feature and each quivering limb to do her bidding, and express her wishes ! "He will not forget, said Viva. "He will follow you, make you pity him, and win you in the end." " No, Viva, no. I wasn't sure until you came into the room, but now I see what I must do. I will put a barrier between us that he can never pass." " As long as you are- unmarried there can be no such barrier." "Oh, Viva! won't you trust me, and forgive me for having forgotten for a moment what I owed to you?" For a long time the two girls sat whispering together in the quiet room that was now strangely still, where the light fell on the pale silk of the drawn curtains, and the paler tints of the ficture-covered wails. Far into the night hey talked, and at the door they parted with a kiss—one to go and sleep with the consciousness that she had met a great danger and avoided it; and the other, to throw herself upon her little white bed and lie wakeful all through the long hours of the night—the night that might have been so sweet passed in the dreaming thoughts she had forever renounced. CHAPTER VII. On the following mornnig Garrett, alone in the great library, stood waiting by the fireplace, glancing uneasily at the door from time to time. He was expecting Lord Rollesden down at any moment, and there was something; he wished to do before his patron entered the room. When the handle of the door turned, he banished every sign of expression from his face, only to breathe more easily as he saw that the intruder was merely the family butler, who paused uncertainly just inside the room. " You rang, sir," he said. None of the servants liked Keith Garrett ; his manners were too autocratic, and his friendship was not to be relied upon. If it suited his purpose, he was capable of seeking for the dismissal of a servant he had praised a few hours before. "Call him a gentleman!" had been Terder's verdict downstairs, when, two years before, the new secretary had taken up the reins of domestic government. "Why. he's not even a man." Yet, in spite of this, Garrett had made his power felt, and it was a bad lookout for any of the household to get into his black books. Therefore, although brief, Ferder's tone was respectful. "Yes, I did ring; I wanted a word with you. Kindly shut the door and step here a moment." Ferder obeyed. "Ferder, i" don't like the lcok of that new footman of yours.'' " Indeed, sir; I've had no fault to find with him." " You engaged him, I think, during my holiday," went on Garrett, with the inquisitorial look that all the household dreaded. ''Yes, sir, I took up his references at his lordship's request, and they were unexceptionable." " Did you get a personal character with him?" "No, sir, because, unfortunately, Colonel Ormerod, with whom he had been, had gone on a tour round the world; but he left a written testimonial that was extremely satisfactory.'' " Unless it was forged," said Garrett coolly. "Really, sir, I don't think we've any «use to suppose that. The lad does bis work well, and keeps himself to himself." " Well, I've no wish to go any further into the matter," said Garrett, "only, as a matter of principle, I wish it understood • that white 1 have any authority here, no servant in this house shall be engaged without a personal reference. You are quite aware that Lord Rollesden keeps large sums of money in the house, and that there are many 'thousands of pounds' worth of jewels in her ladyship's safe." "A safe that it takes "eight hours to pick, sir !" " Well, Ferder, there are more than eight hours in a long night. However, don't for a moment think that I am suggesting that this fellow you have engaged isn't honest. I merely wish to point out to you that I can take no responsibility with regard to him, and that if anything should happen you will have to satisfv Lord Rollesden that you took proper precautions." " I will take that responsibility, sir." "Very good; then we'll pass" on to another matter. You took the telephone at about 10.30 yesterday evening." "I took several calls during°the evening, Mr Garrett." "Do you recollect what they were?" "Lord Marley rang up to ask after his lordship's health, and there was an invitation to dinner at the Duke of Mersea's, besides a late call I couldn't quite understand from Lloyd's Shipping News Agency. I meant to have spoken to you about that before, sir." "Well, what did they say?" " They wanted to kn.iw something about the yacht, sir, whether it was true that his lordship's yacht Th<3 Fairy had arrived at Villefranche with the young gentleman on board." "Did they tell you why they asked?" " No, sir. They asked" if they could speak to his lordship, and when' I told them his lordship had retired to rest, they said they would not disturb us anv further that "night. I've been expecting a call this morning, but it hasn't come." " I'll speak to them myself in a moment or two. I don't think I should mention it to his lordship until I have." "Very good, sir; thank you. sir." "Oh. one_ moment Ferder. You took a call at 10.30 last night?" " Did I, sir:"' "Yes; I passed through the hall, and, hearing the 'phone, I opened the door. You were standing on the small landing that leads down to the basement, and you hung up the receiver just as I came." " It seems to have escaped my memory, sir." " Well Ferder, I should advise you to refresh your memory on that point, as it's Tery important."

"Indeed, sir?" ! " Come, what's the good of beating about the bush," said Garrett. " You were speaking to Lady Ivy." i •'Well, sir, I may as well own it, I was." "What did she say"/' " She rang up to ask if his lordship was in good health, also her ladyship." Her number, man—her number?"' I "She gave me no number, sir, and begged me not to trace the call." A smothered oath burst from Garrett's lips, checked by the entrance of Lord Rollesden, who came slowly across the parquet floor, leaning on his ebony stick. In the fresh light of the morning his face looked worn and grey. Garrett made a sign of dismissal to Ferder, but the man stood his ground. "I should like to hand in my resignation to your lordship," he said. "Eh—what?' said the earl. "Had a tiff with somebody ? Nonsense ! Make it up —make it up." You're too good a servant for me to lose." Ferder gave a respectful cough. " I thank your lordship for your kind expression, but- I should wish to leave at imy month. Things are not conducted in this house as they used to be; some have too much power," my lord, and some not enough." " I'm afraid Ferder's alluding to me," put in Garrett, "and I won't apologise for anything I may have done, as I only study your interests." •' Certainly, certainly," said Rollesden, •'that's understood. See that Ferder has six months' salary added to his wages, and an excellent reference. That's all, Ferder. We won't discuss it any more." Ferder left the room, and Rollesden held out his hand to his secretary. i " You see," he said, " I uphold the powers that be." "Thank you very much, Lord Rollesden. I'm not conscious of having annoyed him, but these old servants are great sticklers for their rights." He paused a moment. " I think I ought to inform you," he went on, " that Lady Ivy rang up last night and inquired after your health and that of Lady Rollesden." . "Very good of her," sneered the earl. ! "I thought it my duty to mention it, and to add that she gave no address and refused her telephone number."' "That makes no difference to me at all," said Rollesden; "and in future if she makes any communications you need not trouble me with them. She has thrown off her allegiance to me and to her , mother, and I have done with her. Now l to work." He moved slowly to the big armchair near the writing-table, and at that moment Ferder re-entered the room, the morning papers in his hand "These were placed by mistake in your lordship's room upstairs," he said. "Ah, yes, I've not had time to glance at them. Give them to me." He adjusted his gold-rimmed pince-nez as he spoke, and took up one of the newspapers, as Ferder left the room, and Garrett occupied himself at his writingtable. Presently a low groan made him turn round. Lord Rollesden had sunk back in his chair, his face was ashy, his eyes were distended, his hands feebly grasped at the empty air. Garrett flew, to him, and supported him, listening in horror to tha disjointed words that fell from his lips. "God have mercy upon this miserable house! All my boys—all!" "Your lordship has had bad news? Your sons are ill?" "Dead, Garrett, dead! Not one of 'em saved. Drowned in the harbour, where the cursed yacht sank in the night." Garrett grovelled on the floor for the paper, raad the geat headlines, and then turned his attention to the despairing father. In the glazing eyes he read that utter misery that touches the borders of insanity. "Courage," he said. "Courage! It may not be true." Then as the tele- j phone message of the night before flashed : across his brain, he added, "Yet if it ' is, von will bear it." Hard man. and unscrupulous as he was, the sight unnerved him. and he could only repeat mechanically, "You will bear it, my lord. You have still one child!" The scene that followed was almost too painful to describe, as Garrett, having supported the earl to his room, electric wires flashed, and telephone messages sped, demanding authentication of the terrible news. Ladv Rollesden. disturbed from her peaceful routine, rushed to her husband's side, and three hours later she summoned Garrett. "Go in to him," she said. "Tell him that you will get the girl back. It seems to be his one thought now. If you pacify him it may save him from madness." * I A moment Liter the secretary grasped the shaking hands held out to'him, and j bent over the prostrate form. " Tt's the vengeance of heaven " said Lord Rollesden. "I neglected her. I scorned her. and I let her go. Now she's the one prop of this failing house I Vt ith her hand in mine. I can follow my boys to their grave. .Find Iter, Ga-rett find her: spend rnonev like wafer; lose | not a moment, but find my girl!" ] (To be continued.)